Our Ancestors have produced hemp as an agricultural commodity for over 8,000 years. Egyptian hieroglyphs depicted hemp being grown and retted in the Nile River Valley for use as ropes on the many boats used for travel at the time. It is believed that the pharos had hemp seeds, also cinnamon packed in their tombs, along with their other belongings, for use in the afterlife. HEMP RESEARCH & PILOT PROGRAMS AUTHORIZED IN SEC. 7606 OF THE FARM BILL On February 7, 2014, President Obama signed the 2014 Farm Bill into law. Section 7606 of the bill, Legitimacy of Industrial Hemp Research, authorizes institutions of higher education or a state’s department of agriculture in one of the 24 states that legalized hemp cultivation to conduct research and pilot programs. Since hemp has not been grown in the United States since 1957, there is a strong need for research to develop new varieties of hemp that grow well in various states and meet the current market demands. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the hemp amendment to the Farm Bill in order to allow research to begin on industrial hemp and determine whether commercial production of hemp would be beneficial for American farmers and businesses.